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Keerbergen
Belgium May 12, 2006  Well, there we were, driving through howling snow storms somewhere between Brussels and Luxembourg on the way to do a Potjiekos for 80 people.I always thought that you do Potjiekos in the blazing sun! At least that’s what I am used to.
We were on the way to the Freedom Day celebrations of the South African Club in Luxembourg. It was April 30th. The setting was beautiful. Right in the middle of Luxembourg, way down a valley in the middle of town and in between ancient walls that date back to the year 963. In between those walls you’ll find Neumünster Abbey dating back to the early 18th century (around 1720). It’s very interesting to read about the history of Luxembourg and if you want to you can do so right here. We arrived well in time to see a couple of local ostrich babies off-loaded into a small pen. Mommy and Daddy were also there in the form of hamburgers. It might have been an idea not to have had the babies there. Quite a couple of people commented on that. With the ostrich babies settled in a pen with sand we also got ourselves installed eventually and the day got underway. There were a tremendous amount of people who came to see the stalls where African Curios, wine and other South African goodies were sold. And then there was the music. Some of it very good and some of it made my hair stand on end. June and I jokingly said that we now at last knew the reason why we left South Africa, especially when a redention of “My Sarie Marais” was given by what sounded like a very constipated performer. But, it was a good day, especially for the organizers who never, in their wildest dreams, had expected to see so many people. The queue for the boerewors rolls was at times so long that we could not see the end and had we known that so many people would turn up we would certainly have brought more hands. But, with only 200 bread rolls ordered and a Potjiekos for 80 people, who would have expected more than 300-400 people at the most. We gratefully accepted all the help given by Craig, Simon and Tino. Thanks a lot guys and much appreciated. We got home late that night nursing a huge cold from standing in the rain all day long.
We finally have our Droëwors drying facility up and running. The price is € 29.00 per kg Droëwors travels well and posting is an ideal option. Interested? Give us a call or email.
This Saturday June is taking me to Rome for a couple of days for my birthday. We are both very much looking forward to that. There is so much to see and do there. I have just finished reading Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons and want to see the places he is talking about. Well, that was it again for this month. Enjoy the rest of it and, let’s hear from you please????? Till next month, All the best, Lo
To so many people, goal setting means that someday, after they have achieved something great, will they be able to enjoy life Instead of measuring your life’s value by your progress to a single goal, remember that the direction you are headed in is more important than temporary results. What is your current direction? Are you moving toward your goals or away from them? Do you need to make a course correction?
By Tim Butcher in Louis Trichardt “I work with the Afrikaner community here every day of the week and I tell you they are close to breaking point,” said Philip Venter, a rugged, Afrikaans-speaking minister whose office walls are hung with guns and trophies. “It is my job to maintain peace, but when you get people thinking they are being persecuted it gets more and more difficult to do this. All it takes is for one of them to snap and I tell you there will be the worst terrorist problem in the world.” A ripple of alarm is spreading through the conservative white communities of the far north of South Africa after this week’s announcement by the government of plans to Africanise traditional Afrikaner names of towns.
A number of names from the local Venda tribes have been put forward for the town, but none is acceptable to its 2,000 whites. Mr Venter said: “The whites in this area accepted what happened with the end of apartheid. “They might not have agreed with it but they accepted it, but now this comes along and it seems just like racism, trying to break down our cultural heritage.” Throughout the transition to black rule in the early 1990s, diehard Afrikaners regularly predicted that they would rebel against a black government – before settling back and just about resuming their old lives. But while once again the talk of “rebellion” is far-fetched, the planned name changes add to Afrikaners’ sense of cultural decline since the end of white rule. The once dominant National Party, the Afrikaner political movement that created and imposed apartheid for more than 40 years, is only a marginal political force now. The Afrikaners’ principal spiritual home, the Dutch Reformed Church, reports declining and ageing congregations, with many young Afrikaners leaving South Africa for Australia or New Zealand to avoid the crime epidemic. The government had one round of name changes at the end of apartheid eight years ago, doing away, for example, with the province name of Transvaal. For people such as Trudie du Plessis, local youth leader of the Right-wing Freedom Front, there are no grounds for a second round. She said: “It does not make any sense from a financial point of view because after changing names a few years ago, millions will have to be spent by businesses on new marketing for the new names.” Outside her mother’s small irrigation business, opinion was hostile among the tanned, stocky Afrikaner farmers in shorts, boots and long socks. “It is just another attempt to mess us around,” one said. Black South Africans say little has changed for whites since the end of apartheid. The ANC council was unapologetic, with the local government councillor reverting to language that harked back to the days of the “struggle”. Joe Maswanganyi said: “The renaming signifies a dramatic break with the past of colonial superiority and racial domination of one race by another. We have got to overturn this history and traverse a new course of historical orientation. “The current names of towns and streets are a sad reminder of a history of oppressive colonial practices.” The two sides appear to be on a collision course as the ANC does not want to be seen to be giving in to a small minority and has set a deadline of the end of the month to come up with the new names. But for Afrikaners such as Mr Venter there appears to be little they can do apart from fall back on their traditional sense of vasbyt, or dogged bloody-mindedness.
It would be interesting to receive some comments regarding the above from our readers – Ed.
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We are trying hard to keep our prices down! The inevitable has happened and our prices have been brought in line with what we pay the factories. Because the material used in the manufacture of our Home Biltong Makers is a by-product of oil, the raw material prices have shot up the last year or so. The new prices are as follows: Rockey’s New Age Home Biltong Maker R 950.00 BUT ……….. Rockey’s New Age Home Biltong maker will still cost only R 895.00 instead of R 950.00 Click here to go to our on-line shop.
Someone wrote in to us claiming that the only way to cure/clean a new Potjie is by making a fire in it!
Now that makes a bit of sense. The fire will burn away all the shellac and other “muti” the Potjie is coated with in the factory leaving it ready for use.Just make sure that you have lots of elbow grease to clean the inside of the Potjie very well after the fire! Important notice!! It has been brought to our notice that some people try to use a higher wattage and different shape globe than supplied with the Biltong Makers. They do this to try and decrease the drying time. Not only does this not work but it it also dangerous!
If we have not given an answer and you can help these people could you please mail them? (Please copy us in on your mails at info@biltongmakers.com so we can help other people who might have the same questions in the future) QUESTION Hoop u kan my help, ek het seker nou al 6 keer probeer om wors te maak, en elke keer skeur die derm, die wors kry nog nie eers behoorlik hitte nie dan skeur die derm uitmekaar uit. Die slagters kyk my verbaas aan as ek hulle vra hoekom dit gebeur, want hulle gee vir my blykbaar die derms wat hulle gebruik. Ek het al als probeer, verskillende resepte, styf stop, sag stop, middelmatig enigeiets. Ek merk dat mens die derms in water moet lê voor die tyd, kan dit my fout wees, want ek doen dit nie? Ek sal dit werklik waardeer as u kan help. Groete Billy van Schalkwyk
Because of my high blood pressure I have to avoid salt under any circumstances. Thank you in anticipations and sunny African regards, Klaus Schindler
We have been making biltong in our Rockey 5kg Biltong maker with normal beef. It works like a dream! Best Regards Eric Maingard
I live in Cuyahoga Falls near Cleveland in Ohio. Regards,
I live and work in Calgary and am interested in hearing from other South Africans in Canada who have tried (or maybe even succeeded) in sponsoring a parent over to Canada. Kind regards,
Lions vs Mongooses: which has more sex?
By James Clarke  I came across a male and female lion in the Kruger Park recently – the black-maned male was very scrawny and haggard, and obviously hadn’t combed his hair for weeks.Somebody in the next car told me: “They’re on honeymoon – they’ve been here for three days and they mate every 15 minutes.”
It was no exaggeration. We passed the spot going in and coming out of the reserve for the next four days and there they were each time. Lions are like that – they go on for days. But even more insatiable are dwarf mongooses. Years ago, Frank Redgment of Forest Town, Johannesburg told me he and his wife watched some dwarf mongooses consuming large quantities of ants in the Kruger Park. When Frank got home, he looked up the dwarf mongoose’s CV in Reay Smithers’ Mammals of Southern Africa. He said: “My mind boggled. There must be something in the dwarf mongoose’s diet that, if synthesised, could knock Viagra sales for a loop and pay off our national debt.” The alpha female is receptive for five days, during which time the alpha male copulates as many as 2 386 times – 2 386 times in five days! Assuming he quits at night in order to pant, he must do it once every two minutes. Smithers says copulation takes 21 seconds. Even so, I mean… Ring. Ring. (Sorry about this. Please carry on reading while I answer the phone.) “Hello, this is the Stoep Talk Organisation, purveyor of rich fertiliser to the nation – all our agents are currently busy but your call is important to us…” (Oh blimey, it’s him – the E*D*I*T*O*R. Why is he always looking over my shoulder? Why isn’t he out at lunch or something?) “Yes sir. Yes, as you say, I was getting a bit carried away. Yes. No. Yes. Yes. But think of it! Every two minutes! I mean, could you… ? What? I mean pardon? Yes, very well. I’ll desist, Yes, immediately.” (No sense of humour.) Low down on chutney Last month, readers voted Mrs Ball’s Chutney as one of the icons of South Africa. But I’ve got news for you. He wrote “Another secret recipe… is known as Mrs Ball’s Chutney. This came to the Cape from the US in an unusual way. Mrs Ball’s father was Captain Adkins, master of the SS Quanza, and he took his wife to sea with him. “The Quanza was wrecked at East London… in 1872. All on board were saved and Mrs Ball’s mother had the presence of mind to save the chutney recipe. “Amelia became Mrs Ball (and) decided to bottle the chutney on a commercial scale.” Mrs Ball died in 1962 aged 97. May the fourth Last year on May 4, people were saying to each other “May the fourth be with you – yuk yuk yuk.” Dr Hugh Cobb points out that this year, May 4 is doubly noteworthy. At two minutes and three seconds past 1am, the time and date will read: 01:02:03 04:05:06. He adds, “That won’t ever happen again. You may now return to your normal life.” Hey, Hugh! How about in 2106?
We have seen so many recipes for Biltong that it seems that they all look the same. It is from Tony Proudlock in Sandton near Johannesburg This is a recipe I was given by a lady at the Meat Board in Pretoria in the late 1960’s. The Meat Use topside or sirloin cut into strips about an inch thick. The Spices
In my biltong maker it takes four to five days. Hope you enjoy,
This one is from Nico Botha in Australia Frans Badenhorst had a cultural experience for his second son, Japie, the other day. He was teaching him that boerewors is a tradition that needs to be mastered in many ways! We have come to the conclusion that our kids needs to be taught how to make wors, prior to “stuffing” their faces at each and every braai! It went well, and Japie learned well for his first lesson under the watchful eye of Frans, Louis van Zyl and myself! Yes we did give him some stick, but it as we all know part of the learning curve into being able to make wors like the manne!! We thought that a large number of South African kids live abroad, and through your monthly newsletter we should explore the avenues their folks follow to “Keep up the South African Traditions, and most of all our morals and principals, that we are all known for. Perhaps we should ask the parents what do they do to keep in touch with the Homeland, “Subscribe to the Huisgenoot, Sarie, or Landbou Weekblad, Rapport or Sunday Times! I think we will have a good old laugh with what will come out from all over the world! “Yes”! “There is a madness in place here” as we (die ou manne) now wish to sit back, get the kids to make the wors, stywe pap en sous, start the braai , know the harde hout types available in their local kontrei for the vuur and then braai and fetch us a “cold one” out of the beer fridge. And then they can ear drop on the conversation of the good old times! Perhaps the Ou Toppies needs to show us what they do, to achieve their goals for the kids! But seeing that women have an equal say in the modern world we could see a mum coming forward, with little Sannie and blow us all away with how they teach the daughters to make wors, or start a harde hout vuur !! Last but not least, I have decided to challenge the Boerewors empire manne with a competition to where they keep the “frosties”! We in a day of (BB) “Brain Brightness” be kwassed my beer fridge with a “true reflection of African colours!! As Mzwandile will say ” this one is looking good brother!
I also think we should have little snippets of previous stories or goeters paste onto the web to show the rest of the newly arrived Global Boerewors Empire migrants what we have discussed, did and achieved. Well it’s time to say goodbye as I have a major assignment due in two weeks, but I am about to leave mum and the kids behind and do a bit of contract work as a Risk Analysis for a large mining company in Western Australia. Lekker mal hey !! But at R19,500 a day it is surely worth it, and then the hard work with the studies is worth every minute of it!! Groete Nico Whitsunday, Australia We will run the “Vlermuis” story again soon Nico! – Ed
Hi there, from Lagos Thank you so much for your “newsy”, informative and fun Newsletter which I receive every month. Our country of origin is SA ~ naturally! We are fortunate enough to be able to return to SA 3 times a year ~ basically for the School Holidays. Our children attend the American International School Lagos, and we look forward to the 2 month summer break in June/July. In Jan 2006, I opened my own Company called Dream Options I have a Nigerian partner, who has her own Law Practice, both in Nigeria and the UK. The photos on the site are from an Annual event called Small World. This is definitely the event of the year for ex-pats in Nigeria. It is a fund-raiser. One of the most exciting things to hit Lagos, is the opening of SA based Shoprite (Checkers) and Game. We also have Debonairs, Nando’s, and there is talk of a News Café! Wow! This is such a treat! Generally, life in Lagos can be summed up as follows:
I could go on forever! It is a really interesting, expensive place to live! And I love it but know that we are only on contract, and will return to SA! Thanx for listening to “how we live in Lagos” Regards,
“Zat martial art from my country Japan” replies the Jap and strolls off in a stroppy way. The following day the farmer finds the Jap in “His” seat again. “Zat Karate from my country Japan” and as stroppy as ever ambles off. Now the farmer is dik die moer in……… The farmer replies: “That, my china was a bliksemse Isuzu 2.8 litre turbo diesel bakkie se wheelspanner….also from your country Japan”
Live Well – Laugh Often – Love Much
Watson gets a slap in the face from White Brits a better bet than Botha De Bruyn joins the Warriors Selectors get smart for World Cup
-Where can you watch rugby on TV?-
Click here to find out where in most countries!
We are almost halfway through the year already and have received some very nice contributions to our newsletter from all over the world! Many people are subscribed to our newsletter and many more are joining every day. Mostly they do so because they enjoy reading it and like to hear from people in other parts of the world. They would love to hear from you too!! Why not put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard!), and tell us about anything interesting. About life in your part of the world, what you do and how you live. Perhaps something that happened to you. Perhaps you have some advice to give? Of course it does not have to be about Biltong or food. Anything that is of interest is welcome! Share it with other people around the world!
So far 600kg of boerewors has been made since the start of April and most of it is gone!
You too could have some real South African Boerewors on the braai next time!! Just give us a call on +32 (16) 53.96.25 or email us. Our Boerewors is vacuum packed in quantities of about 500 gram. The price is € 8.45 per kg.
Droë Wors, as it is known in South Africa, is as much part of the country’s culinary culture as Biltong, Pap, Boerewors and Potjiekos.
Our price is € 29.00 per kg which compares very favourably with what is being charged in the South Africa Super Markets such as Pick & Pay and Woolworth. The average price for Droë Wors in those stores is between R 250.00 and R 300.00 per kg. So, if you want some real South African Droë Wors give us a call on +32 (16) 53.96.25 or mail us at info@boerewors.be. Since Droë Wors travels so well we can mail it to you in Europe and the UK via priority mail in minimum quantities of 2kg.
Lamb on the Spit is a way of entertaining as only known by very few mainly because it is thought to be very expensive. Not so!
Together with the lamb we will treat you to a big pot of curried potatoes as well as a choice between a pasta salad or three-bean salad. Garlic or bread rolls are included as well. There are still two weekends open during May and June. If you are planning a function or party with a Lamb on the Spit in mind it is advisable to book early. Remember that we are doing these functions only during weekends.
Booking early is essential and you can do so on
+32(16) 53-9625 or email us. -May and June 2006 are almost booked out and July is filling up as well.-(A Lamb on the Spit can only be done outside because we cook on coals!)
You can click on the links below to view some of the previous issues of our newsletter.
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In towns such as Louis Trichardt, named after one of the 19th century voortrekkers whose 1,400-mile journey from Cape Town entered Afrikaner folklore, many Afrikaners feel their identity is under threat.
A Free State “Boer” walks into his local bar and to his surprise finds a little Japanese man sitting in his regular chair.
Our Boerewors has again proven to be as popular as last year (and all the years before)!
The problem with making Droë Wors in enough quantities has always been the lack of a proper and large enough drying facility. We have now built a drying facility that will supply ample Droë Wors on a weekly basis. It takes at least one week to dry the normal wet sausage to the “cracking” dryness of Droe Wors.
